Skunk Cabbage Plant

Skunks are infamous for the foul odor they emit. So, it can be inferred that a plant named after the animal may have some link to the foul smell. In fact, skunk cabbage plants too have a pungent odor, which is compared to that of rotten meat. There are three plant species that are referred to as skunk cabbage. One is Symplocarpus foetidus, which is otherwise known as eastern skunk cabbage plant. The second one is Lysichiton americanus that is commonly called western skunk cabbage, yellow skunk cabbage, swamp lantern, American skunk cabbage, etc. The third species is Asiatic skunk cabbage or white skunk cabbage that is scientifically termed as Lysichiton camtschatcensis. While, all these plants belong to the family Araceae, the eastern skunk cabbage belongs to the genus Symplocarpus, whereas the other two are members of Lysichiton genus. This article will provide you with some information about skunk cabbage plants.